Everyone is expecting the United States to do well at this year's men's Olympic Hockey competition. This is the U.S.A. we're talking about here, you know. They're supposed to dominate at every single sport (except for men's soccer, for reasons we don't know) and be the overwhelming hegemonic empire everyone knows and loves (or hates).
There's a good reason for that, too. Big names like Vegas Golden Knights star Jack Eichel, Minnesota Wild defenseman Quinn Hughes, and Toronto Maple Leafs cornerstone Auston Matthews constitute a strong team. That should make it easier for the Americans to dominate the hockey landscape in Milan, right?
Well, there are some adversaries that the United States must worry about, starting with its Northern neighbors. Team Canada has a wide array of superstars, ranging from the looming Connor McDavid to Mark Stone and Brad Marchand. Don't expect the Canadians to simply lie down for the Americans to grab their gold medal.
Still, the patriotic group is ready to rock "Free Bird" and dominate the Olympic competition. In fact, they should win it all at this year's iteration... or be in the running, at least. The reasons for being atop the leaderboard stem beyond Eichel, though.
Why the United States will win gold in the men's Olympic Hockey competition
Everyone knows that Eichel is one of the league's best puck-moving forwards around. He's great at finding the open man and cutting through opposing defenses. Not only that, but he can score goals, as proven by his 21 goals this season. However, he's not the only weapon to watch for.
The U.S. also has prominent goal scorers on their team, including Tage Thompson (30 goals), Brock Nelson (29 goals), and Matthew Tkachuk. With the wide array of scoring options, America can go toe-to-toe with anybody and put up a solid performance.
But that's not all, though. The United States also holds an important advantage over teams like Canada in one regard: goaltending. Imagine trying to overpower opponents with a wide range of scoring options when you run into Jake Oettinger, Connor Hellebuyck, or Jeremy Swayman. That makes life even tougher for whoever faces the Americans, leaving them to rely on forechecking pressure.
Let's not forget that the Americans want a little bit of revenge from last season's 4 Nations Face-Off. After losing to McDavid's Superman-esque heroics, the United States would love to exact its revenge on its neighbors from the North... and everyone else.
Aside from the usual American dominance, the overall structure and intangibles that the U.S. presents is why you shouldn't count them out this year. There are too many factors in their favor, leaving them at the forefront of the gold medal discussion. Just imagine if Eichel scores the winning goal for the Americans. He'll forever be known as Captain America.